Eddie the Problem Solver

I worry and I hope that Eddie takes after me in certain regards. There are plenty of things about myself that I love. I do worry, however, that his impressionable brain might begin to function in the very-special-but-not-entirely-normal way that mine does. Don't get me wrong, I sort of enjoy knowing that my mind doesn't always fire up the same way other people's do, but it also makes life a little odd sometimes. A few days ago we were at the Seesaw Center where we go to play. Eddie had discovered the felt-covered section of wall, with the felt figures to stick to it. Having never seen it before, he expressed delight when the cut-out shapes of animals and people stuck where he put them. I think most children might think "Ah, these things stick to this wall." Eddie, however, in a Jami-esque burst of brilliance concluded "MAGIC WALL!!" and dashed off to another toy box where he selected several choice toys to stick to the Magic Wall. He scurried back with his arms full, dropped the toys beside me and attempted to stick the first one to the felt. It did not stay. He tried another - it also fell. Eddie picked it up and examined it. He looked at the wall. He shoved the toy in the direction of the wall with a forceful "Da!" (which I translate to "you're supposed to stick THERE!") Then he carefully pressed it to the wall and let go. Again it tumbled to the ground. He checked a few more toys, showing them the wall, pressing them firmly against it and gingerly letting go. All hit the floor. Eddie looked up at me with an expression of confusion and consternation. These toys were not listening - did I have any ideas? I pointed to the small plastic bin with the rest of the felt figures in it. "Here, honey, use these. The toys in here will stick." The light bulb went off over his head. Now, he had it. He grabbed the bin full of felt figures . . . And dumped it out so he could load the uncooperative toys in. The problem was clearly that the toys needed to be in that bin to work! It's a magic bin! Needless to say that the bin did not assist the toys in sticking to the wall. After a few fruitless tries, Eddie gave up and wandered off, a look of vague disgust on his face for the toys which would not respond to the magic. But there are plenty of toys and soon the magic wall had been forgotten. Can't wait to see how he reacts to it next time.